Unlocking Growth: Finding the Support Small Businesses Need
Ask most entrepreneurs what they need to grow, and the answer is often immediate: more funding, more customers, more time. Yet, during one of the most practical discussions at Elite Business Live 2026, a panel of experts revealed that many of the resources businesses seek already exist. The true challenge lies in knowing where to find them and how to access the right support.
Hosted by Emma Jones, the UK’s Small Business Commissioner, the session titled “Making Life Easier for Small Businesses” brought together representatives from government, finance, and business support organisations, alongside Eunice Mwale, Managing Director of Lovehands Care Services. Rather than simply listing government initiatives, the discussion centered on helping founders navigate a complex support landscape to find the people, funding, and expertise that can accelerate their growth.
Growth isn’t a solo journey
Entrepreneurs often wear multiple hats—salesperson, finance director, operations manager, and marketer—which can make asking for help feel unnatural. Richard Jeffery, National Director at The Growth Company, emphasised the importance of local business support. Drawing on over 15 years of experience with Growth Hubs, Jeffery explained how these hubs act as independent advisers who guide business owners through the maze of schemes, grants, and programmes available.
Jeffery stressed that the value of support goes beyond funding. Building relationships with advisers who understand a company’s ambitions and connect them with universities, mentors, investors, and specialist programmes at the right time can be transformative. Many businesses scaling internationally today started with modest interventions and, through sustained support, unlocked new funding and opportunities that would otherwise have remained out of reach.
Funding is often just the beginning
Access to finance remains a significant barrier for early-stage businesses. Tracey Kilty, Relationship Director for Start Up Loans at the British Business Bank, highlighted that while loans are essential, they form only part of the support ecosystem. Since its inception, the Start Up Loans programme has supported over 130,000 businesses with loans ranging from £500 to £25,000, with plans to extend eligibility to businesses up to five years old. Teams of founders can combine funds up to £100,000.
Kilty emphasized the importance of understanding the problem a business is solving. Before approving funding, entrepreneurs receive practical help to develop robust business plans, refine their propositions, and build confidence in their models. This preparatory support often proves as valuable as the finance itself.
One success story shared was Dot Dot Tea, a bubble tea business that used a £25,000 Start Up Loan to launch locally before expanding into a national brand stocked by major retailers such as Harvey Nichols and supermarkets across the UK. This example underlines a vital lesson: finance helps businesses start, but ongoing support helps them grow.
Sometimes the best advice comes from those who’ve lived it
While government representatives detailed available programmes, entrepreneur Eunice Mwale offered invaluable firsthand perspective. As Managing Director of Lovehands Care Services, she openly discussed her experience using the Help to Grow: Management programme to develop both her business and leadership skills. Her insights reminded attendees that support schemes are not abstract policies but practical tools utilised by real business owners facing real challenges.
This lived experience lent credibility to the discussion, showcasing the benefits of actively engaging with available support rather than passively trusting the system. The session’s recurring message was clear: growth becomes easier when founders stop trying to solve every problem alone.
Making life easier starts with removing friction
Emma Jones opened the session by describing the mission of the Small Business Commissioner’s Office: “How do we make life easier for small businesses?” One of the biggest challenges identified is prompt payment. Late payments continue to strain thousands of SMEs, disrupting cash flow, recruitment, and investment decisions.
The Commissioner’s office works to resolve payment disputes and promotes the Fair Payment Code, which recognises organisations that consistently pay suppliers on time. This initiative highlights that supporting business growth isn’t solely about grants or investments—it also involves removing avoidable barriers that hinder progress.
Growth depends on more than finance
Later in the discussion, Paula Crofts from the Department for Business and Trade outlined the government’s ambition to boost small business growth across the UK. She shared a compelling statistic: if every small business increased productivity by just one percent, the economy could grow by £320 billion by 2030.
The government’s small business strategy focuses on several key priorities, including:
- Making it cheaper and easier to run a business.
- Improving access to finance.
- Supporting businesses on local high streets.
- Encouraging innovation and productivity.
- Helping more businesses scale internationally.
The panel agreed these ambitions must translate into practical, accessible support to have a meaningful impact. For entrepreneurs, the encouraging takeaway was that support systems are evolving, with an increasing focus on awareness and accessibility.
The right support at the right time
Government support can sometimes feel distant or bureaucratic to entrepreneurs. However, this panel painted a different picture—one of an interconnected ecosystem designed to assist businesses at every stage, from initial planning to finance, mentoring, leadership development, and international expansion.
The common thread throughout was not just funding but connection: connection to advisers, local networks, fellow entrepreneurs, and hidden opportunities. Emma Jones reminded attendees that making life easier for small businesses isn’t about creating more programmes but about helping founders find the right support at the right moment.
Often, the difference between standing still and scaling up isn’t another brilliant idea—it’s knowing where to turn next.
